NBA Draft: Cole Anthony deserves early top pick honors

Even though it’s only the preseason, Cole Anthony has already begun to separate himself as a top pick candidate in next year’s NBA draft.

The expectations of being the son of one of the greats like Greg Anthony will be enough of a bill for Cole Anthony to live up to early in his career.

What he does possess, however, is the talent to fulfill such early promise and should be in the running for the top pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA draft.

Most casual basketball observers don’t generally take note of a prospect’s stock before the college season until the high school All-Star level events take place, such as the McDonald’s All-American Game.

The good news for Anthony is that he left viewers with quite the “first impression” during that game, finishing with 14 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

It’s clear even from just watching the film above that Anthony will be utilized the same way that Coby White was at North Carolina as the lead guard.

Roy Williams has always enjoyed playing an up-tempo style at UNC, pushing the pace and getting out in transition as often as possible with dynamic guards and forwards.

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Grabbing and going is something that Anthony can even take part in himself, as his anticipation and vertical leap allow him to at least compete on the boards even at his listed 6’3″ size (looks closer to 6’2″ though with a better eyeball).

When he gets a step on his man, good luck keeping Anthony from the rim. Aggressive may be an understatement as far as his approach to the game is concerned.

While Anthony’s dribble package isn’t necessarily advanced by any means, his left-right crossover combined with his quick first step and determination to throw the defense off balance and get into the lane is undeniable and effective. He won’t run into any issues at least at the college level creating opportunities off the bounce.

Having an electric score-first guard who possesses the athletic traits and competitive spirit that Anthony does is always a plus, and confident ball handlers are always in high demand at the pro level. Anthony’s services will be sought after by a number of teams looking to make an upgrade at the PG position.

Scoring won’t be an issue for Anthony at any level, as he’s proven himself enough as a three-level scorer at the HS level to step in and make an impact right away. The mechanics on the jumper can stand to be tinkered around with, especially his balance pulling up off the dribble as well as keeping his body positioned properly toward the basket when squaring up off the catch.

If 3-point shooting doesn’t prove to be an issue transitioning to the next level, Anthony could become one of the leading scorers in the country and carry the Tar Heels to a finish similar to the one they had last year, certainly being a tournament contender.

As mentioned previously, lead creators who can score as well as distribute and manage an offense are what NBA teams are hungry to acquire the most in today’s modern game. However, Anthony’s most public criticism is a concern given the last part of that previous statement.

“Hero ball” is a phrase commonly thrown around regarding a player’s over-willingness to take over and dominate the outcome of a game. Sometimes, it’s a genuine quality that can swing the pendulum into a team’s favor in a positive manner.

Other times, reliance on one player to hit every shot down the stretch can lead to a club’s demise, as it limits the creativity and flow of the offense.

Anthony’s flashy style of play in terms of his scoring nature and pass choices are a selling point, and box office appeal can sometimes matter as much to an NBA team as on-court productivity.

But in terms of winning, Anthony will have to lean more on those around him and focus on making better reads and distributing the ball more frequently rather than fall into the over-dribbling phenomenon of isolation scoring.

Despite his takeover and defensive flaws (doesn’t possess elite size and concentration on that end of the floor), teams like the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks and Washington Wizards would love to plug him into the starting lineup should they have an opportunity to draft him.

The Hornets just gave Terry Rozier a healthy contract as a free agent, but he doesn’t possess the same long-term upside and appeal that Anthony does. Same goes for John Wall and the Wizards unfortunately at this point, given the injury history and uncertainty moving forward.

For the Knicks, RJ Barrett could benefit greatly from having another shot creator next to him who can help run the offense and score on his own. Dennis Smith Jr. is far from a sure thing at the PG spot, and his time in New York isn’t guaranteed by any means.

Cole Anthony has the potential of a franchise floor general given his background and knowledge of the game as well as talent level.

Young players learn all of the time that they can’t do everything by themselves. As long as Anthony keeps a strong head on his shoulders and continues to stay in the gym and evolve, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t keep a grip on one of, if not the, top spot come draft day.